Leigh High School Newspaper

Spotlight: Mr. Warren

Mr. Warren, former AP English Language teacher, has taken on a new role in the Leigh High School community as assistant principal/dean. His change in position comes with new responsibilities and a different perspective towards the student body.

Q:How does it feel to be a dean after having been a teacher?

A: It feels good. I’m enjoying it. I like being available to help both teachers and students.

Q:What was your favorite thing about teaching?

A: Getting to know the students and teaching writing.

Q:Do you miss teaching AP Language?

A: I miss working with students and seeing them grow over the course of the year. That’s huge for me, but I think I should also look for ways students can grow outside of the classroom.

Q:How has your interaction with students changed?

A: I interact with different students. I like getting to know everybody on campus. Being a dean has allowed me to get to know more than just the AP students I taught. I think it’s nice to get to know a bigger part of the community.

Q:Is there anything you like about being a dean that you weren’t able to do as a teacher?

A: There’s a lot to learn about education and how a school runs. Being in this position has allowed me access to that.

Q:Do you enjoy riding in the golf cart?

A: I do. My favorite is early in the morning when there’s no one here; I can zip around and feel the cool breeze on my face.

Q:What prompted your change in position this year?

A: I’d been teaching English for 19 years and I was looking for a change. I decided to get into an administration program last year, which I really enjoyed. I thought I could contribute in this position, so I applied for it. Overall, I really enjoy this position.

Q: Is it more or less stressful being a dean?

A: It’s a different kind of stress. I feel the same amount of exhaustion at the end of the day, but it’s different because I’m doing a bunch of other things besides teaching all day.

Q:Have you had any prior experience as a dean?

A: No, but teaching is a prerequisite for being an administrator. That’s another exciting part of this job; I’m starting something brand new.

Q:What is the most challenging part about being a dean? about being a teacher?

A: The most challenging part about being a dean is that there’s so much to learn right away. The most challenging part about being a teacher was grading so many essays in a reasonable amount of time.

Q:Is it hard to be strict with students?

A: I’ve found that most of the time, if a student has broken a rule, they know they’ve broken a rule. As long as expectations are clear, there isn’t much of an issue.